Woking Council continues to underspend money for vulnerable people

The Lib Dems have called on Woking Borough Council to fully distribute money earmarked to support vulnerable people in Woking.

Central Government gives local authorities funding, called Discretionary Housing Payments, to help vulnerable residents who are struggling to pay their housing related bills. If this money is not paid out to residents by the end of the financial year, councils have to return this funding to the Government.

Leader of the Lib Dems on Woking Borough Council, Councillor Will Forster said:

"I have previously criticised Woking Council for failing to support vulnerable residents after it received £94,459 from the government for Discretionary Housing Payments, yet it only gave £40,535 to local people and returned £53,924 to the government. During last week's Full Council meeting, I decided to ask the Leader of the Council for an update on how the Council was getting on with spending this financial year's funding."

In 2015/16, Woking Council received £98,604 for Discretionary Housing Payments. The Council has paid out £71,786.10 so far this year and has committed to award a further £7,998.39. However, the Council still has £18,819.43 remaining in its Discretionary Housing Payments fund.

Councillor Forster added:

"I am pleased to see that the Council is spending proportionately more of its Discretionary Housing Payments money, but it still has a long way to go to fully distribute all the money earmarked for vulnerable people struggling with their bills due to no fault of their own."

"I have called on the Council to redouble its efforts to ensure that all this money goes to vulnerable people in Woking. Woking Council has funding to make many residents' lives easier, it needs to act now."